Manueacture of soles for shoes



E. W. MCVICAR MANUFACTURE OF' SOLES FOR SHOES Filed Aug. 8, 1919sra-rss! 15V ERETT W. MOVICAR, OF MARLBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASS'IGNOR T0UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OFPATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A.CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MANUEAGTURE 0F SOLES FUR SHOES.

Application med August a, i919, *serial` No. 316,136.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EVERETT W; MCVIOAR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marlboro, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in the Manufacture ofSoles for Shoes, of which the following description, in connection withthe accompanying drawings, is a specification, likereference characterson the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

The present invention relates to improvements in the manufacture ofshoes.

For purposes of illustration the invention is herein shown and describedin its application to the marbufacture of 4turn shoes and moreespecially turn shoes having rubber turn soles.

In the manufacture of turn shoes it is the usual practice to incorporatethe shank stiifener in the shoe by cementing it to the upper surface ofthe sole because in this way the attachment ofthe stifener to the soledoes not appear on the tread or finished surface of the sole as wouldnaturally occur if tacks or similar fastenings were driven through thestiener and iinto the sole.

This manner of attaching'the stiffener to' the sole is not entire-lysatisfactory because oftheV uncertainty and, in many instances,inefectiveness of the 'cement as a fastening means whichlresults in thestiifener failing to perform its intended functions in the e shoe. Whena rubber sole is employed. in

making a turn shoe, av cement attachment ofthe shank stiifener to thesole is entirely inadequate chiefly because a sole of this type can notbe molded to the desired conformation during the manufacture of the shoeas can a leathersole, but must depend upon the stiffene'r to maintainits conformation, and consequently a considerablestrain is placed uponthe attaching means for the shank stifener. Moreover, the surface of arubber soleis not adaptable for cement.

It is an object of the present invention to produce an improved sole forshoes in which accurate and effective means are provided for attaching ashank stiener to the sole and, also,'to provide a convenient and eicientmethod of preparing a sole for the application of a stiifening member.-

With the above and' other objects in view,

the invention contemplates a novel -rubber illustrated, this pocket isformed so as to confine the forward portion of the shank stifi'eneragainst lateral and forward movement relatively tothe sole while the`rear en d of the stiffener is secured to the heel seat portion of thesole by a tack to prevent withdrawal ofthe shank stiffener from thepocket. sists of a body portion of rubber compound and a reinforcinglayer of. canvas molded and' vulcanized into an'integral solel struc-Ature, and the stifener receiving pocket is formed between the top canvaslayer and the main body portion 'of the sole.-

In accordance with the preferred practice 'of the invention, and asherein illustrated, the pocket in the sole is formed by turn soleprovided at the forward portion The sole herein illustrated'conproviding the reinforcing blank with 4av transversely disposed slitin its shank portion, inserting a member having the approxlmatedimensions ofb the forward portion of a shank stiffener through the saidslit and between the sole blank and the reinforcing layer, uniting thesaid two blanks and thereafter withdrawing the said device to produce astiifener securing pocket lin the forward shank portion of the sole.VConveniently the member used to form the pocket -between the bodyportion of the sole and the reinforcing layer may be the shank stiifeneritself, the stifener being withdrawn from the sole after the pocket isformed and subsequently put in place again. By forming a stifi'enersecuring pocket in the sole between its upper and lower surn faces asabove described, the stiEener can be accurately and positively appliedto the sole without the stifener securing means being exposed on theexterior of the shoe or forming an objectionable prot'uberance on theinterior of the shoe.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings illustrating a preferred application of the invention and thenovel features of the invention will then be dened in the appendedclaims.

Fig. 1 shows in perspective a preferred embodiment of the sole of thepresent invention;

F ig. 2 illustrates one step in the process of making the sole shown inFig. 1, the several sole parts being shown in their assembled relation;

F ig. 3 shows the use of the sole in the manufacture ofa turn shoe.

The sole of the present invention consists of a body portion of rubber 2and a reinforcing layer of canvas 4 the two layeis being molded andvulcanized under pressure in a mold shaped and arranged to produce amarginally extending sewing rib 6 on the. upper side of the sole, th-issewing rib receiv-l ing the stitches which attach the shoe upper to thesole.

In accordance with the present invention the sole is provided with ashank stilfener securing means consisting of a pocket 8 shaped andarranged to receive the forward end portion of a shank stifl'ener 12,this pocket being of substantially the same dimensions as the dimensionsof, the forward end portion of thev stiHening member so that thestilfening member is confined against movement relatively to thesole.This pocket is formed in the sole as hercin illustrated by providing theshank portion of the reinforcing layer with a transversely disposed slit10this slit being of substantially the same width as the stiffeningmember and being located preferably about midway between the ball lineand the heel breast line of the sole. It will be noted that with thislocation of the slit-only the forward half of the stifener device isreceived in the pocket while the rear half of the stiifener extendsalong the upper surface of they sole to the heel seat. In placing therubber blank, together with. the reinforcing layer4 4, in the mold, ametal shank stiifener 12 or similar device is pushed through the slit inthe reinforcing layer 4 so that its forfl ward end-extends between therubber blank and the canvas layer, a sufficient length of the devicebeing left projecting rearwardly to enable it to be withdrawn from thesolev after vulcanization. The assembled sole isl -tween the rubber bodyand the reinforcing upper and tread surfaces of the sole.

layer prevents'thevulcanized union of these two layers, and itssubsequent withdrawal-- produces a pocket in the sole between the t thesame time the rearwardly projecting portion of the stifener is embeddedin the upper surface of the sole thereby producing4 a recess orbed 14 toreceive this portion' of the stifener with its upper surface flush withthe Lipper surface of the sole.

To facilitate the subsequent withdrawal of the stifener member from thesole it has been found desirable to coat the forward portion of it withsoapstone or like material. l

After the vulcanized sole has been removed froin the mold, the shankstiffener is withdrawn by means of its rearwardly projecting portion soas to leave a pocket in the forward portion of the shank of the sole.The completed sole is thus provided with shank stiiener securing meanswhich will accurately position the'stitl'ener on thc sole and hold itagainst displacement both iu the manufacture of the shoe and in thesubsequent wear of the shoe.

ln the use of the sole thus prepared the shank stifl'ener is not finallyapplied to the sole until after the shoe has been lasted and sewed andpreferably not until after the shoe has been turned right side out'although under some conditions it may be found ad,- vantageousto applythe stiifener priorto `turning the shoe right side out. By reason of thepocket 8 opening upon the upper surface of the soleA substantiallymidway bctween the ball line and the heel breast line of the sole it hasbeen found more desirable in practice, to turn the shoe right side outand then insert the forward end of the stif fener in the pocket. It willbe seen that the pocket 8 serves to locate the end of the stiti'ener 12in proper central relation on the sole and, being of substantially thesame dimensions as the stiffener, holds it securely in place. Therearwardly projecting portion of the stifencr seats itself in the recess14 formed in the upper surface of the sole, and

tacking the rear end of the shank stiifener I to the sole within theheel seat area, prevents any shifting or movement of thestif-v fener. Byforming the pocket to receive the forward end of the stiffener in thesole in the manner' described, the attachment of the stiffener does notdamage or injure the finished tread surface of the sole andneither doesit produce any objectionable irregularity or other protuberance on theinterior of the shoe to engage the foot. Of course the shank stiifenerwhich is to be incorporated in the shoe will be longitudinally curved tocorrespond to the arch of the last or foot, and the insertion of theforward half of the stiifener in the pocket and the attachment of therear end of the stiff-ener to the sole acts to conform the shank portionof the sole to this longitudinal curvature.- The strain of the sole uponthe stiffener is taken up by the to its normal Hat condition.

said body portion,

v'sole having Having thus described my inve'ntion, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. As an article of manufacture,'a molded and vulcanized sole comprisinga tread meinber of rubber compound and a covering member of fabric,thetwo members beingV vulcanized together throughout their extent exceptat a locality in the shank, there' being formed between them at thislocality an empty pocket shaped opening upon the surface of the sole toreceive and confine the forward portion of a shank stiffener.

Y, 2. As anarticle of manufacture, sole comprising a rubber body portionand a reinforcing layer co-extensive with the said body portion and saidlayer being vulcanized together in such manner as to provide a pocketbetween them adapted to receive and confine the forward portion of ashank stiffening element, said reinforcing layer having an openingapproximately midway of the shank to the said pocket. 3. As an articleof manufacture, a shoe a pocket formed between its upper an-d treadsurfaces shaped and located to receive and confine the forward end of ashank stiffener, and a recess in its upper ysurface communicating withthe pocket shaped and located to receive the rear end of the stifener.

LAS an article of manufacture, a molded and vulcanized shoe sole havinga pocket leading into its interior from its upper surface shaped andyarranged to receive the forward end portion of a stiifening element andprovided with a shank s'tiifener the forward end of which is located inthe said pocket and the rear end of which is fastened t`o theupper-surface of the sole. within the .heel seat area to preventwithdrawing drawing cess in the upper of the stiffener yfrom the saidpocket.

5. As an article of manufacture, a shoe solecomprisinga rubber bodyportion and a reinforcing layer vulcanized thereto, there being 'formedbetween the layer and pocket and communicating with the rear end of thepocket a resurface of the sole, and

a shank stiffener the forward portion of which is located in the pocketandthe rear portion in the recess. A

6. vThatimprovement in the art of making shoe soles.. which consists inassembling a sole blank and a sole reinforcing` blank having a@transversely disposed slit in its shank portion, projecting through thesaid slit and between thesaid two blanks a means having the dimensionsof the forward portion of a 'shank stiifening element, unit.- ing thesai-d two blanks and thereafter withthe said means to produce a pocketi-n the sole toreceive the forward portion of a'stiening element.

a shoe 7. That improvement in the art of inaking shoe soles whichconsists in assembling a sole blank and a sole reinforcing blank havinga'v transversely disposed slit in its shank portion, projecting throughthe said slit and between the said two blanks a shank stilfener, leavinga portion of the said stiifener projecting rearwardly of the said slit,uniting the said two blanks throughout and theu withdrawing' the saidstiffener by means of the rearwardly projecting portion from between thesaid two blanks to produce a pocket subsequently to 'receive the shankstifener in the use of the sole.

8. That improvement in inethodsiof making rubber soles which consists inessembling in a mold a rubber compound sole blank and ia solereinforcing blank having a transthrough .the slit and betweenthe saidtwo .blanks a metal device having the measurements of the forwardportion of a shank stiifener, leaving "a portion of the said'elementprojecting rearwardly of the said slit, molding and vulcanizing theassembled sole; and then withdrawing the said device to produce a pocketsubsequently to `receive the forward portion of a shank stiifener.

9. That improvement in methods of-making rubber soles which consists inassembling in a mold. a rubber compound sole blank and a solereinforcing blank having a transverse slit midway of its shank portion,projecting through the slit andbetween-the twolblanks a means adaptedtoprevent vulcanization of the said two blanks throughout an areacorresponding to that of the forward ortion of a shank stiffener,andthen mol ing and vulcanizing the assembled sole.

1 0.v That improvement in methods of making rubber soles which consistsin assembling in a mold a rubber compound sole blank and a solereinforcing blank having a transverse slit in its shank portion,providing a metal device having the measurements of the forward portionof the shank stiffener,`treating the metal device to enable it to resistvulcanization to a rubber body, projecting the said device through thesaid slit and between the said two blanks leaving a portion of the saiddevice projecting rearwardly of the ing rubber soles which consistsinassemblin i in a mold a rubber compound sole blank an a canvasreinforcing blank having a transverse slit in its shank portion,projecting -through the slit and between the said two blanks the forwardend portion of a shank stifener, leaving a portion of the said elementprojecting rearwardly of the said slit upon the heel seat portion of thesole, vulcanizing the sole under pressure and then withdrawing the saidstifener by means of the rearwardly projecting portion to produce apocket subsequently to receive the forward portion of the shankstiifener.

12. That improvement in methods of making rubber soles which consists inassembling in a mold a rubber com Iound sole blank and a canvasreinforcing b ank having a trans- -verse slit midway of its shankportion, projecting through the slit and between the said blanks a meansadapted to 'form a pocket between the said two blanks to receive theforward portion of a shank stiener and then vulcanizing the sole underpressure and withdrawing the said device by means of the rearwardlyprojecting #portion to ,produce a pocket subsequently to receive theforward portion of the shank stifener.

13. That improvement in methods of Inak- I ing rubber soleswhichconsists in assembling tion, applying a shank stiffening member inposition on the canvas layer with its forward monat? end projectingthrough the slit and between the said two layers, vulcanizing theassembled `sole under pressure and then withdrawing the shank stiienerto produce a pocket sub sequently tcv receivethe forwardvend portion.

14. As an article of manufacture, a molded .and vulcanized solei havinga pocket formed between its tread and upper surfaces to receive theforward portion of a shank stiffener, said pocket opening upon the uppersurface of the shank portion of the sole, and a shank stiffener havingits forward end portion located in said pocket and extending rearwardlyof said pocket upon the surface of the sole.

15. As an article of manufacture, a shoe sole comprising a rubber bodyportion and a reinforcing layer, said body portion and layer beingvulcanized 'together in such manner as to provide a pocket having itsopen end leading out to the upper surface of the lsole so as to be`adapted to have inserted therein the forward end ofa shank stifeningelement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EVERETT W. MCVICAR.

